title: Enamel defects on the maxillary premolars in patients with cleft lip and/or palate: a retrospective case-control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of developmental defects of enamel on maxillary premolars in patients with cleft lip and/or palate. In addition, the relationship with the surgical technique of soft palate closure was studied. Such a relationship could be suspected since formation of enamel occurs around the same time period as soft palate closure.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study consisted of three groups. Patients from the first group (n = 123) were recruited from the Cleft Lip and Palate Team of the University Hospitals Leuven (CLPT-UHL). The second group (n = 81) consisted of patients consulting the Cleft Lip and Palate Team of the Radboud University Medical Centre Nijmegen (CLPT-UMCN). Healthy non-cleft lip and/or palate patients (n = 100) recruited from a private orthodontic practice were enrolled in group 3. All maxillary premolars were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of the total sample, 43 patients showed developmental defects on one or more premolars. All defects occurred in patients of group 1 who received surgical closure by the CLPT-UHL. None of the patients from group 2 and 3 showed defects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It can be suggested that the surgical technique, used by the CLPT-UHL for soft palate closure, causes these defects. It is postulated that the technique used by the CLPT-UHL leads to interference with the blood supply of the developing premolar at a critical stage of tooth enamel development. More research is needed to confirm these findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Health Sciences-Orthodontics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and Dentistry, University Hospitals Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 7, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carpentier
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ghijselings
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schoenaers
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carels
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verdonck
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001641:Bicuspid / Q000002:abnormalities*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000601:surgery*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000601:surgery*; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000002:abnormalities*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla / Q000473:pathology; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000601:surgery; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000601:surgery; D055815:Young Adult